Wooden toy train construction



May 13, 1952 c. s. OLSON ETAL WOODEN TOY TRAIN CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 8, 1949 IN VEN TORS. C. 5. OLSON UNITED star-g;

Patented May 13, 1952 WOO X= RA 0NST UQT QN;

4 trier;

of: Illinois Application January 8, 1949, Serial $959,954

2 Claims. 1

Our present invention relates to wooden toys, particularly to wheeled toys, and is especially concerned with the coupling means for connecting the units together and the means for holding superstructure units to supporting platforms. Among the objects of this invention are to provide an inexpensive wooden toy for small children; to provide such a toy that the parts can be connected together by quite a young child; to provide a toy which will, for a small child, be educational in its nature; and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. Our invention further resides in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, while we have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodimentof this invention, we desire the same to be understood as illustrative only and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

.Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a train composed of two units, one of them being the engine and the other a freight car;

Fig. 2 represents a partially fragmentary plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents a transverse section substantially along the plane indicated by the line 3-4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 represents a transverse section substantially along the plane indicated by the line 4-4, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary longitudinal section substantially along the plane indicated by the line 55, Fig. 2.

Reference will now be made in greater detail to the annexed drawings for a more complete description of this invention. The platforms I and 2 are shown as supported by wheels 3 and 4, and these platforms are coupled together by coupling unitsi in the form of dumbbells. The platforms I and 2 are provided with sockets 6 which are formed in the ends of the platforms and are slightly larger than the balls I at the ends of the coupling units. Notches 8 are formed in the ends of the platforms, reaching out from the sockets 6 to the ends of the platforms, the walls of these notches being somewhat inclined to the longitudinal axis of the train, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 5, it is clear that the sockets 6 do not extend all the way through the platforms but have bottoms 9 which prevent the coupling units 5 from dropping through when they are placed in the sockets.

Blocks 10, H, I2, and I3 are connected to the platforms l and 2 by a tongue and groove arrangement, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4, and are prevented from sliding off therefrom by means of the posts [4 which are set into sockets 6 and are also prevented from sliding from one car to another by the couplings 5. It will be understood that any desired number of units, such as shown or other forms, may be connected 'together by couplings 5, since the sockets 6 are identical in size and shape. As is clear from Fig. 4, the grooves iii are undercut and the units supported on the platforms are provided with ribs of appropriate form to fit in these grooves and, thereby, the parts are held assembled. It is clear that the posts [11 are nearly as large in diameter as the sockets 6 and larger than the width of the notches 8 so that they serve as stops for the blocks Iii, ll, l2, and I3 to keep them from sliding longitudinally off from the platforms. Also, it is clear that the balls or heads I of the couplings 5 are larger in diameter than the width of the notches 8 and therefore they serve to unite the units.

The wheels 3 and 4 have central perforations which are slightly larger than the diameter of the metal pins l5 which serve as axles about which the wheels turn.

For the sake of illustration of the structures involved, we have chosen to illustrate a train of two imits, but other units may be added, as desired, when assembling a train and as many units as desired may be connected together by the couplers 5 to increase the length of the train.

It will of course be understood that various changes in detail may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described our invention, we claim:

1. A wheeled wooden toy comprising a plurality of platforms provided with wheels, each of said platforms having at its opposite ends a socket extending into the platform from the upper surface and adjacent the ends thereof, each socket being closed at its bottom, one or more'superstructures adapted to be mounted on each of said platforms between said sockets, tongue and groove means formed on each platform, extending from end to end thereof, said tongue and groove means providing for mounting the superstructures in place by longitudinal movement of the superstructures from either or both ends of each platform, dumbbell-like connectors for connecting the adjacent ends of two associated platforms, each end of each connector having a socket-entering head which protrudes above the ub'p'er' end of the socket, thereby preventing any displacement of the associated superstructures past said head, and posts or the like adapted to be seated in the sockets at the front and rear ends of the interconnected platforms for preventing longitudinal displacement of the forwardmost and rearmost superstructures.

2. A wheeled wooden toy as defined by claim 1 in which each of said sockets has a slot leading outwardly therefrom to the nearest end of the platform, the walls of said slots being at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the platform in outwardly diverging relation to accommodate lateral angling of one platform relative to another platform connected thereto by one of said connectors.

CARL STANLEY OLSON. ANDREW P. BERGSTRAND.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 409,744 Garben Aug. 27, 1889 1,084,597 Anft Jan. 20, 1914 1,234,883 Douglass July 31, 1917 1,235,771 Dettra Aug. '7, 1917 1,289,385 Cabana Dec. 31, 1918 1,579,884 Myers Apr. 6, 1926 1,590,490 Ballou June 29, 1926 2,092,687 Yancey Sept. 7, 1937 2,132,647 Robins Oct. 11, 1938 

